CTE director reports $6.5 million Idaho Career Ready grant for PVTech; district expanding pathways and equipment purchases

Rhonda Mix presented the CTE annual overview and updated the board on PVTech.

Mix said 72,000 students statewide participated in CTE last year and district programs showed a 35% increase in program offerings; district pass rates and capstone completion also rose. "94 percent of CTE concentrators graduate from high school compared to the state at 80 percent," she told trustees and said many students go on to work, postsecondary education or military service after graduation.

At the district level, Mix said CTE added-cost funds and other grants enabled substantial equipment purchases this year, and she reported the district had secured roughly $6,500,000 from the Idaho Career Ready grant to remodel and build PVTech. She credited a donation of structural steel from R and M Steel and outlined new pathway openings next year: broadcasting, construction trades and graphic design, plus cosmetology and diesel mechanics at other locations.

Board members asked about funding restrictions (which Mix said cannot be used for salaries) and the district’s process for applying for grants. Mix said she writes many grants herself and that the technical advisory committee and industry partners inform equipment and program needs. She also recommended the district pursue dedicated FTE for CTE instruction to sustain growth.

No formal action was taken; the presentation served as an informational update ahead of budget conversations.